Tarek Lakhrissi: I wear my wounds on my tongue (ii)

I wear my wounds on my tongue (ii) is a new exhibition by French artist and poet Tarek Lakhrissi. With newly commissioned sculpture and sound pieces, the installation explores desire, language and queerness.

I wear my wounds on my tongue (ii) is inspired by the work of the late poet, essayist and performance artist Justin Chin (1969–2015). Lakhrissi has drawn particular inspiration from Chin’s 1997 poetry collection Bite Hard. Rejecting shame and mainstream pressure on queer people to perform respectability, Chin’s works encourage the reader to use their tongue as an instrument of pleasure, rather than rebuke or judgement. The exhibition takes its name from Chin’s work and contemplates the vulnerability, roughness and beauty of abandon.

In I wear my wounds on my tongue (ii), Lakhrissi will present three large resin “tongue” sculptures. Removed from their context in mouths and bodies, these tongues become alien—resembling gooey jellyfish, extra-terrestrial life-forms, or even strange weapons. They allow us to question the role of the tongue as an instrument of language, love and power.

I wear my wounds on my tongue (ii) also features a new sound piece commissioned for the City Dome at Collective.

I wear my wounds on my tongue (ii) will be accompanied by the performance Beast! in collaboration with Victor da Silva and Makeda Monnet on Saturday 26 August 2023 as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival, further details to be announced.

Supported by Creative Scotland, with additional support from Fluxus.’